BigBattery is fighting Covid!

By Fēnix PowerOn 22nd April 202022nd April 2020

Lately, I spend most of my days working on getting Fēnix Power through the various delays and impacts of Covid-19, part of my work today was discussing this with our supplier BigBattery. Today I had a great conversation with their CEO, Eric Lundgren, and learned more about the work they are doing during this pandemic, and they are truly doing some amazing work! So today, rather than posting about progress here at Fēnix, I want to take a moment to highlight the amazing work that Eric and his team have been doing.

Triage Powered by BigBattery and Recycled Nissan Modules

When faced with the challenges of a slowing market that Covid was creating, Eric decided that instead of simply furloughing their employees, they would see what their resources could contribute to help out. And help out they did! BigBattery has locations both in Chatsworth, California and in China. Eric has their employees in California focused on building out their portable power trailers for use as temporary power for the medical facilities built out at hospitals to cope with the Covid-19 challenges. These trailers combine solar and recycled EV lithium batteries to provide reliable, clean power to the tents hospitals are erecting to handle triage, overflow and other emergent needs in the fight to handle the flood of patients with the Coronavirus. Usually in situations like these, large 10-20 kW diesel generator trailers would be used, running 24/7 pumping out exhaust and particulate pollution.

Meanwhile, over in China, Eric has his employees over there manufacturing literally millions of N-95 and cloth surgical masks for help in the fight against Covid. To date, they’ve brought in 3.4 million KN-95 masks and 1.4 million cloth surgical masks. They literally filled a Boeing 747s with masks to bring them over from China! And they’re not stopping there. These masks have been shipped out to hospitals and medical facilities, but they’re also available for purchase in bulk by hospital and medical providers in need on the BigBattery website.

Now, about the portable power trailers, what Eric is doing here is simply amazing. They are providing these trailers where needed to fight Covid for these triage and overflow locations FOR FREE! They already make and sell these trailers for industrial, construction and other professional use, but they’re ramping up the production of building these trailers, keeping their full staff employed and avoiding layoffs.

The power trailers use the same Nissan Leaf batteries we’re going to be providing to Fēnix customers, as well as the same BigBattery developed BMS and chassis we’re providing to fixed and home storage Fēnix customers! These storage boxes use modules recycled from Nissan Leaf battery packs, and in this case are mounted to trailers and paired with solar panels, floodlight towers, solar charge controllers, and of course, the hardware necessary for hospitals to connect to them for their portable power needs.

These trailers have already gone out to USC, UCLA, Medical Valley and First Presbyterian hospitals in Los Angeles. In total 39 have been deployed so far, and if you work for a hospital or medical center and could use their trailers, contact BigBattery as they’re still sending out these power trailers to continue the fight!

For the whole story, credit for the above screenshots goes to Good Day LA and FOX LA, check out their whole video piece on Eric and BigBattery:

What a great story to share on Earth Day today, I’m sure I speak for all of us when I send out a huge thank you to Eric and the team at BigBattery for helping with the Covid-19 fight and helping keep the air clean while supplying triage tents with the power they need.

48V 16kWh Fixed Storage

Oh, and one more thing! The reason I was talking to Eric today was to finish gathering the needed information to get their fixed/home storage solutions in the hands of Fēnix customers! Tomorrow morning, you’ll see fixed storage solutions available for purchase, ready to ship out immediately! No delays or waiting. Our customers with fixed storage deposits will be receiving an email from us to arrange purchase completion and shipping arrangements tomorrow!